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In its 12 years, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has given us some memorable performances and a lot of players to adore. But there have also been players who have been forgotten. While most of them have been great at other formats of the game, they did not quite find their feet in the IPL.
Here we look at a list of players whom you might have forgotten played for some IPL teams. The list contains some names which would be nostalgic for those that followed the game in the ’90s and early ’00s.
1. Sunil Joshi (RCB)
We might all remember the wily left-arm spinner who represented India in the ’90s, but it might come as a surprise that Sunil Joshi has played in the IPL. Seven years after he played his last international match, the all-rounder from Karnataka appeared for the Royal Challengers Bangalore. He was part of their squad in the 2008 and 2009 seasons.
However, he did not taste much success in the IPL. Joshi ended up picking a solitary wicket and scored just six runs in the four games that he played for RCB.
2. Justin Langer (RR)
Rajasthan Royals had a lot of Australian players in the early editions of the tournament, and Justin Langer was one of them. It was a surprise to see the gritty left-handed opening batsman make the T20 cut. But, they wouldn’t get to see if he was up to the scheme of things in the IPL.
The only game in which he was in the playing eleven in the IPL was abandoned without a ball being bowled. However, he did play a game for Rajasthan Royals. This came in the British Asian Cup in 2009, when the side played Middlesex in a one-off match. He came in at No.5 and scored just one run.
3. Cheteshwar Pujara (KKR)
A dependable no.3 batsman in the Indian Test team, Cheteshwar Pujara has also tried his hand in the shortest version of the game. He represented Kolkata Knight Riders in the initial three seasons of the IPL. After a string of below-par performances, he was ousted from the squad and picked up by RCB in 2011.
The right-hander has played 30 matches in the IPL, scoring 390 runs at a strike rate of less than 100, which may not be a real surprise.
4. Steve Smith (RCB)
There was a time when the current #1 Test batsman was considered a leg-spinner who could bat. It was at this time that Steve Smith made his way into the IPL. RCB picked him up for the 2010 season shortly after he made his international debut. However, Smith did not play a single game for them.
The Australian moved to Pune Warriors India after a couple of seasons and subsequently to Rajasthan Royals. He will be captaining RR at IPL 2020.
5. Mark Boucher (KKR)
Former South African wicket-keeper Mark Boucher was a key player for RCB in the first three seasons of the IPL, both as a wicket-keeper and a finisher. He scored 388 runs from 27 matches at a strike rate of over 127 for RCB. However, he went unsold for in the 2011 auction.
After initially getting drafted in the commentary panel, Mark Boucher was announced as the replacement for an injured Tim Paine by the Knight Riders. Boucher went on to play four matches for them, finishing with a grand total of 6 runs.
6. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (RCB)
Shivnarine Chanderpaul was part of an RCB side that was primarily considered suitable for Test cricket in 2008. He batted for the franchise in three games, aggregating 25 runs at a strike rate of just over 80. And it was not a surprise for many that it turned out to be his last IPL season.
Chanderpaul represented the West Indies in 22 T20Is between 2006 and 2010, scoring 343 runs at a strike rate of 98.8.
7. Mohammed Ashraful (MI)
Mumbai Indians bagged Mohammad Ashraful in the 2009 IPL season. However, Ashraful got to play only a single game in the season in which he was dismissed for 2. That also marked the end of his IPL career.
Mohammad Ashraful has played 23 T20Is for Bangladesh and scored 450 runs at a strike rate of 126.4.
8. Damien Martyn (RR)
Although the stylish right-handed batsman played only the four games, Damien Martyn had a decently impressive record for Australia in T20Is. He scored 120 runs at an impressive strike rate of 162.2.
However, it came as a surprise to many when Martyn was selected by the Rajasthan franchise for the 2010 edition of IPL, three years after his international retirement. The Australian played just one game in the season, making a painstaking 19 runs from 24 balls. That marked not only the end of his IPL career, but also his T20 career.
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